FROM SEMMELWEIS TO SOFTALIND®: THE EVOLUTION OF HAND SANITIZING IN THE OPERATING ROOM

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.159491241410945

• Palavras-chave: hand disinfection, hand sanitizers, germ theory of disease, surgical gloves, disinfectants

• Keywords: hand disinfection, hand sanitizers, germ theory of disease, surgical gloves, disinfectants

• Abstract:             This article chronicles a brief historical evolution of hand hygiene practices in surgery, starting with the pioneering work of the renowned Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis in the mid-19th century. Semmelweis’s introduction of handwashing with chlorinated solutions marked a pivotal shift in preventing puerperal fever, laying the groundwork for further discoveries and applications of hand sanitizing protocols. Joseph Lister advanced antiseptic techniques in surgery, followed by the germ theory of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, who proved to the world the existence of microorganisms. The introduction of surgical gloves by William Halsted added another chapter in infection control, just as the 20th century saw the development of a diversity of alcohol-based products that revolutionized hand sanitation, along with a growing number of surgeons and public health practitioners who solidified the importance of aseptic practices. We also examine innovations that proved their valor during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as touchless dispensers and technology for tracking hygiene compliance in healthcare settings. The historical trajectory outlined here culminates with the adoption of standardized guidelines in the operating room, who also have been changing in the first decades of the 21st century, migrating from harsh brush scrubbing techniques to soft novel antiseptic formulations, making it simpler - although still safe – the old routine of washing hands.